Clans of the Willows
by Jaystar of NightClan
Summary: Foxheart is now Foxstar, leader of ThunderClan. He will do anything to prove he is the strong, loyal leader everyone makes him out to be. When one of ThunderClan's kits goes missing, Foxstar doesn't know what to do. When it appears the kit will never be found. Foxstar starts to lose hope. He doesn't consider the inevitable, that perhaps history had repeated itself.
1. C

**So you may be aware of my past stories, Clans of the Forest, Clans of the Lake and Clans of the Hollow. Well, time to go back to Clans of the Lake, when Foxheart became Fox****_star. _****This is after he came back from that border patrol. I'm not going to do any time skips, it will be from the moment Foxstar returns from the border patrol with Redstripe, Cedarleaf, Silverstreak and Iceblossom.**

* * *

**Prologue**

"Are you going to be alright?" a dark tom asked as his leader stopped coughing. He had been coughing for while, the medicine cat said that it was white cough, and that he wouldn't make it. The others had still been kits in the nursery when his leader had been named leader, now it was his time to join StarClan. He refused any herbs, it could be used for cats who needed it. His leader just sat there coughing while his life inched away from him.

"Tigerstripe..." He rasped.

"What is it?" Tigerstripe asked.

"Please, I want you to bring my kits to me. I have to speak to them, before I go to StarClan." He pleaded. Tigerstripe hadn't heard that last part, he was already racing through out of the camp. _I will do anything for my leader, even if he is going to join StarClan! _

**Thunderclan**

**Leader:**

Foxstar -Rusty tom with black ear-tips, black paws, bushy tail, White tail-tip, White belly and amber eyes

**Deputy:**

Cloudwind -White tom with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Whitebird -White she-cat with amber eyes

**Warriors:**

Redstripe -Ginger tom with amber eyes

Silverstreak -Light gray she-cat with green eyes

Cedarleaf -Black tom with white paws, white ear tips and blue eyes

Rosepetal -Gray she-cat with blue eyes

Rainsplash -Brown and black she-cat with green eyes

Stormcloud -White and gray tom with green eyes

Grayfur -Gray striped tom with green eyes

Cloudwhisper -White she-cat with blue eyes

Brackenpelt White tom with ginger spots and amber eyes

Blossomstem -White she-cat with blue eyes

Tigerfrost -Black striped tom with green eyes

Tawnyheart -Silver she-cat with green eyes

Shadestripe -Brown tabby tom with blue eyes

(Apprentice: Fernpaw)

Ashberry -Gray tom with green eyes

Lionclaw -Black tabby tom with green eyes

Jayflight -Black tom with green eyes

Leafstorm -Gray, black and brown mottled tom with blue eyes

Doveflight -Gray she-cat with amber eyes

Sorrelwhisper -Gray and white she-cat with blue eyes

Mousepool -Cream-colored she-cat with bright blue eyes

Owlwhisker -Gray tom with blue eyes

Hawkblaze -Mottled tom with green eyes

(Apprentice: Dustpaw)

Rowanfur -White and orange tom with green eyes

Skystorm -Gray she-cat with blue eyes

Rainfoot -Gray she-cat with green eyes

Smoketail -Gray striped tom with blue eyes

Firebreeze - Ginger she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentices:**

Dustpaw -Gray and light brown tom with blue eyes

Fernpaw -Light brown she-cat with dark brown spots and hazel eyes

**Queens:**

Icestorm -White she-cat with blue eyes

(Mother of Foxstar's kits, Boltkit, Brightkit and Bumblekit)

Heatherstripe -White and ginger she-cat with amber eyes

(Mother of Leafstorm's kits, Thistlekit, Sandkit, Redkit and Cinderkit)

Breezefeather -Cream-colored she-cat with amber eyes

(Mother of Blazestrike's kits, Nightkit and Sagekit)

Sunnysky -White and gray she-cat with blue eyes

(Mother of Cloudwind's kit, Hollykit)

**Elders:**

Swiftwing -White tom with black and orange spots and amber eyes

Wolfclaw -Gray tom with amber eyes

Turtleshell -Gray she-cat with amber eyes

**Windclan**

**Leader:**

Nightstar -Black tom with blue eyes

**Deputy:**

Tigerlily -White she-cat with black stripe and blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Leafshrew -Mottled she-cat with green eyes

(Apprentice: Hawkpaw)

**Warriors:**

Rockfall -Gray tom with yellow eyes

Pineclaw -Brown mottled tom with yellow eyes

Berrystripe -Gray-spotted tom with green eyes

Smokecloud -Gray she-cat with long legs and yellow eyes

(Apprentice: Ravenpaw)

Sunshine -White she-cat with amber eyes

Duskfall -Sandy colored she-cat with green eyes

(Apprentice: Ashpaw)

Dustwind -Light Brown tom with green eyes

Mosstail -Gray she-cat with green eyes

Pansyleaf -Mottled she-cat with amber eyes

Weaslenose -Mottled tom with long legs and gray eyes

(Apprentice: Dapplepaw)

Leapardspot -Mottled she-cat with a long tail and gray eyes

Goldenmoon -Golden she-cat with blue eyes

Gorsestripe -Gray and black tom with green eyes

(Apprentice: Swiftpaw)

Fernstrike -Cream-colored she-cat with hazel eyes

(Apprentice: Streampaw)

Sweetstream -Cream-colored she-cat with amber eyes

Kestrelpelt -Light brown tom with gray spots and blue eyes

(Apprentice: Sedgepaw)

Larkflight -Brown tom with green eyes

Moonbright -Silver she-cat with blue eyes

Bluesnow -Silver she-cat with green eyes

Shrewstripe -Dust colored tom with pale green eyes

**Queens:**

Dawnshadow -Silver and black she-cat with amber eyes

**Elders:**

Ashfeather -Ginger she-cat with white spots and blue eyes

Crowwing -Black tom with white paws and amber eyes

**Shadowclan**

**Leader:**

Tigerstar -Golden tom with black stripes and amber eyes

**Deputy:**

Stormheart -Gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Littlefoot -Black tom with green eyes

(Apprentice: Dawnpaw)

**Warriors:**

Snaketail -Pale gray tom with blue eyes

(Apprentice: Fernpaw)

Spiderpelt -Long-haired brown tabby tom with amber eyes

(Apprentice: Darkpaw)

Weaslenose -Gray tom with amber eyes

(Apprentice: Streampaw)

Owlwing -Brown speckled tom with yellow eyes

Fernclaw -Sleek black she-cat with amber eyes

(Apprentice: Stormpaw)

Cedarclaw -Black tom with green eyes

(Apprentice: Graypaw)

Thorntail -Brown tom with green eyes

Thrushbird -Brown tom with yellow eyes

Rowanfur -Gray and brown tom with blue eyes

Tigerpelt -Black tom with yellow eyes

Whiteblaze -White tom with amber eyes

Rabbitstripe -White tom with long legs and green eyes

Mosspool -Brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Hollyfern -Mottled she-cat with blue eyes

Squirrlefur -Black she-cat with amber eyes

Pinestripe -Gray and black tom with amber eyes

Kestrelflight -Dark brown she-cat with blue eyes

Yellowpelt -Yellow-golden she-cat with yellow eyes

Whiterain -White tom with a black tail and hazel eyes

Leafstrike -Ginger tom with gray eyes

Blackriver -Black she-cat with blue eyes

**Queens:**

Ravendapple -Black and gray dappled she-cat with blue eyes

**Elders:**

Rowanclaw -Sand colored tom with blue eyes

Shrewpelt -Blue-gray she-cat with yellow eyes

**Riverclan**

**Leader:**

Thornstar -White tom with black paws and amber eyes

**Deputy:**

Mistywind -Black she-cat with hazel eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Pebblestone -Gray tabby she-cat with hazel eyes

(Apprentice: Turtlepaw)

**Warriors:**

Fogheart -Gray tom with amber eyes

Brooktail -Blue-gray she-cat with yellow eyes

Jaggedrock -Gray speckled tom with green eyes

Otterfur -Brown tom with hazel eyes

Mudtail -Long-haired brown tom with blue eyes

Breezesong -Black she-cat with green eyes

Mistywater -Gray she-cat with yellow eyes

Reedpelt -Ginger tom with blue eyes

Sageleaf -Brown, Ginger and White tom with hazel eyes

Stonepelt -Gray tom with blue eyes

Swanwing -Pure white she-cat with hazel eyes

Minttail -Dappled golden she-cat with gray eyes

Graybird -Gray tom with white nose and hazel eyes

Shellstream -Tortoise-shell she-cat with yellow eyes

Petaltail -Calico she-cat with amber eyes

Fernspot -Tortiose-shell she-cat with blue eyes

Ripplesplash -Gray-silver tom with bright blue eyes

Oaktail -Light brown tom with gray eyes

Wetripple -Silver she-cat with blue eyes

Willowpetal -Pale cream-colored she-cat with green eyes

Dawnstrike -Blackand ginger she-cat with green eyes

Ducksong -Ginger and cream-colored she-cat with hazel eyes

**Queens:**

Cinderblaze -Ginger she-cat with blue eyes

**Elders:**

Runningbrook -Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Streampelt -Long-haired black tom with green eyes

Flowsplash -Blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

* * *

**Well? Should I continue? You deicide!**


	2. l

"Foxstar! We found a ShadowClan tom on our territory." Cedarleaf growled, shoving the ShadowClan deputy forward.

"Tigerstripe, what were you doing on ThunderClan territory?" Foxstar asked. By now most of the Clan had circled around him. Boltkit and Brightkit were prancing around his paws, fascinated.

"Are you a prisoner?" Brightkit asked.

"Flamestar is dying." Tigerstripe said, ignoring Brightkit's question.

"That isn't ThunderClan's problem." Hawkblaze growled. Foxstar gave the young warrior a stern look but he didn't even notice.

"If your leader is losing his last life, shouldn't you be with him?" Foxstar narrowed his eyes.

"He sent me to give you a message." Tigerstripe panted.

"What is this message?" Moonshine asked.

"He wishes to see his kits, one last time." Tigerstripe dipped his head.

"No." Stormcloud growled.

"Stormcloud, maybe we should." Sunnysky suggested.

"No! Then you would have to leave me!" Hollykit protested.

"It would only be for a little bit, I'm still coming back." Sunnysky reassured her daughter.

"Why should we go and see him?" Stormcloud growled.

"Because he is our father. Stormcloud, I wish I could have seen Whitepelt before she died, but I couldn't and I still regret leaving the camp that day. I'm not going to regret this too." Sunnysky insisted. Foxstar could see Cloudwind shifting his paws uncomfortably. _That's right, if Sunnysky hadn't left the camp that day she would never have fallen into the river and never met Cloud. She wouldn't have brought Cloud and his sister Star back to ThunderClan and he wouldn't be a deputy, or a father. _

"Sunnysky, I'll go. But not for him. I'm doing this for you." Stormcloud sighed.

"Thank you, Stormcloud." Sunnysky dipped her head.

"I'll escort you to our camp." Tigerstripe purred.

"Let's go." Stormcloud sighed, padding out of the camp with his sister and the ShadowClan deputy.

"Foxstar, do you want me to organise some patrols?" Cloudwind asked.

"Yes." Foxstar dipped his head before glancing around at his Clan mates.

"Where's Blazestrike?" Foxstar frowned.

"He never came back from the border." Icestorm mewed.

"I'll go check on him." Foxstar said, turning away from his Clan and padded to the gorse tunnel.

"Wait! I want to come with you!" Brightkit called, racing over to him. He could see her littermates not too far behind.

"You can't come with me." Foxstar told them.

"Why?" Boltkit asked.

"Because." Foxstar told them.

"Because why?" Brightkit frowned.

"Because you aren't old enough to leave the nursery." Brackenpelt scoffed, beside him was Blossomstem and Heatherstripe.

"Well, we'll be apprentices soon! Then we can leave the camp anytime we want!" Boltkit purred.

"Only with our mentors." Bumblekit mumbled but his brother and sister didn't hear him, they were prancing around their older siblings paws.

"What's it like to be a warrior?" Brightkit asked.

"Well, it's hard. You wouldn't like it." Brackenpelt snickered.

"I bet I would!" Boltkit frowned.

"No you won't, trust me." Brackenpelt winked at him.

"I will too! I'll be the most loyal ThunderClan warrior ever! I'm a pure ThunderClan cat! The son of the Clan leader! I'll be the greatest warrior this Clan has ever seen!" Boltkit boasted, pouncing onto a rock. Brightkit followed him, beaming. Bumblekit stay where he was, watching his littermates. _I think it's best that h find out I'm a WindClan cat later on, when he's older. _

"We'll see." Blossomstem purred.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the nursery?" Foxstar narrowed his eyes at Heatherstripe.

"I'll be fine, besides. Icestorm is watching them. Cloudwind has assigned us as your escorts." Heatherstripe purred.

"Well then let's go." Foxstar purred, leading the way through the gorse tunnel.

"I remember when we were kits, sneaking out of the camp." Blossomstem sighed.

"And when we were apprentices, sneaking off to our first battle." Brackenpelt laughed.

"Well, all three of you have made horrible choices when you were young, but you know better now." Foxstar mewed.

"Oh please father, you say that as if you have never left the camp when you weren't supposed to." Heatherstripe purred, shoving her father playfully.

"Well, I haven't." Foxstar insisted.

"That's not true and you know it." Brackenpelt scoffed.

"What are you talking about?" Foxstar frowned.

"We've all heard stories from the elders when we were kits. They told us of the story with the fox." Blossomstem purred.

"Blabber-mouths." Foxstar muttered as the neared the WindClan border.

"-heard that you were the one who killed our last Clan leader." A squeaky voice mewed. As they approached, Foxstar could see Blazestrike was still speaking with his younger siblings. Long ago, Foxstar's sister Tigerlily had come to him with her two kits. WindClan was ruled by a horrible leader and her kits would have died in WindClan, so Foxstar had taken them to ThunderClan. He named them Sandkit and Blazekit. He raised them along with his two other kits, Thistlekit and Heatherkit. There was a fire in the forest that forced them to flee to the border. The WindClan leader had forced Foxstar's brother, Nightstripe and his sister Tigerlily to fight Blazepaw and Sandpaw. Foxstar had been forced to reveal his secret in order to save the two apprentices. They had both been angry and chosen to leave with WindClan. Not long after, there was a battle. Blazepaw had saved Foxstar and had been punished. Wolfstar banished him from WindClan territory. They had allowed Blazepaw to come back to ThunderClan, his true home. Wolfstar had killed Blazepaw's sister in front of him for revenge. Blazepaw became angry and plotted with another WindClan cat to kill the Clan leader. When he was on his last life, the two cats had a fight to the death. Blazestrike had won, walking back to the camp. Foxstar's brother, Nightstripe had become Clan leader. Tigerlily had three more kits, Sedgepaw, Swiftpaw and Streampaw.

"Yes. I was the one who killed Wolfstar. He killed our sister, Sandpaw." Blazestrike told them. Tigerlily stared at him, her eyes wild. _They didn't know how he died, only that it was a ThunderClan cat. _

"Well, Nightstar is Clan leader now. He is a great leader!" Sedgepaw purred.

"Blazestrike." Heatherstripe mewed. Blazestrike turned to see our patrol.

"Hello." He said, dipping his head.

"We've come to see where you were." Brackenpelt explained.

"I've been here." Blazestrike mewed.

"How are things in WindClan?" Foxstar asked his sister.

"Things are fine, thank you Foxstar." Tigerlily purred.

"Blazestrike, why don't you come back to camp now? You can always catch up with them at gatherings." Foxstar mewed.

"Yes Foxstar." Blazestrike purred, flicking his tail goodbye to the three apprentices.

"Goodbye Blazestrike! See you at the gathering!" Swiftpaw purred as they padded away. _I'm glad they are getting along. I didn't get along with Tigerlily and Nightstar when I found I had littermates in another Clan. _


	3. a

**Blazestrike's P.O.V**

"Who is going to the gathering tonight?" Boltkit asked excitedly.

"Not you." Foxstar smiled.

"Why not? I'll be an apprentice soon!" he scoffed.

"You'll be an apprentice in three moons." Foxstar corrected him.

"So? Please?" Boltkit pleaded.

"When you are an apprentice." Foxstar laughed, turning away from his son. He climbed up onto the high rock.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the high rock to hear my words!" Foxstar called.

"Why can't we go to the gathering?" Boltkit grumbled.

"Because we aren't apprentices yet." Bumblekit scoffed.

"Whatever." Brightkit mumbled.

"Tonight is the night of the gathering. Redstripe, Silverstreak, Cedarleaf, Rosepetal, Cloudwind, Rainsplash, Grayfur, Brackenpelt, Blossomstem, Tawnyheart, Tigerfrost, Ashberry, Shadestripe, Leafstorm, Jayflight, Doveflight, Hawkblaze, Skystorm, Firebreeze, Whitebird, Dustpaw, Fernpaw, Swiftwing and Wolfclaw wil be coming to the gathering. The rest of you will guard the camp." Foxstar said, leaping down from the high ledge.

"Wait!" a tiny voice squeaked.

"What is it, Hollykit?" Blazestrike asked.

"Sunnysky hasn't come back yet." she cried.

"She should be back by now." Cloudwind growled, lashing his tail angrily. He took a deep breath, his eyes flaring in anger before wrapping his tail protectively around Hollykit.

"She'll be back when she's ready. She's with Flamestar, her father. He's losing his last life and he wants his kits to be there with him. I wish I had known my father, I envy Stormcloud and Sunnysky. My father died before Ashberry and me were even born. You have to understand how important it is to her." Shadestripe said softly, touching Hollykit's back gently with his tail.

"She lied, she said she would only be gone for a little bit." Hollykit scoffed.

"She'll be back soon, don't worry." Blazestrike purred.

"I hope so." the small she-kit sighed.

"We better get going, we'll be late." Icestorm mewed.

"Hollykit, your mother will be back soon. Don't worry. I have to go, you better be sleeping when I come back." Cloudwind purred, nudging his daughter affectionately.

"I'll make sure she is." Icestorm promised.

"Foxstar!" Blazestrike called, padding over t the ThunderClan leader.

"Yes Blazestrike?" he asked.

"Why aren't I going to the gathering?" he asked. _I was hoping I could see Swiftpaw, Sedgepaw and Streampaw tonight. _

"Not all warriors go to the gatherings, Blazestrike. You can get to know your younger siblings at the next gathering, I must be going now." Foxstar said, without another word he padded to the front of the group of ThunderClan cats. Blazestrike watched as he led them out of the camp.

"Well this sucks." Blazestrike sighed.

"What's wrong Blazestrike?" Icestorm asked.

"It's nothing." he mumbled.

"It's about your siblings in WindClan, isn't it?" Heatherstripe mewed.

"I was just looking forward to seeing them, that's all." Blazestrike hissed, padding away from them.

"We're being attacked!" Owlwhisker screeched, racing into the camp.

"Who is it? ShadowClan? WindClan? RiverClan?" Mousepool asked.

"Neither. It's a bunch of rogues!" he panted.

"Blazestrike! Guard the nursery!" Heatherstripe hissed, as Breezefeather, Icestorm and her leaped at some rogues.

"Blazestrike, what's going on?" Nightkit asked, frightened.

"Take the rest of the kits, and hide all together in one of the nests. Go now, Nightkit and keep quiet!" Blazestrike hissed at his daughter. _I will never forgive myself if one of them gets hurt. _Blazestrike slashed at a rogue tom's gray muzzle, the tom's eyes raging in fury.

"You don't belong here. Leave our camp." Blazestrike growled.

"I know what you're guarding, the heart of the Clan. We destroy that, the whole Clan comes apart." he snickered. Another tom came to his side to join him. _I can't beat both of them, how am I going to keep both of them from getting into the nursey and harming the kits? _

"I will not let you get those kits. You will have to kill me first." Blazestrike growled.

"So be it." one of the tom's hissed, leaping at him. _StarClan help me! _

**Boltkit's P.O.V**

"Boltkit, I'm scared." Brightkit cried.

"Don't worry. Blazestrike and the other warriors won't let them in here." Bumblekit reassured her.

"What if they get in though?" Sagekit mumbled.

"They won't." Sandkit insisted.

"Will they, Boltkit?" Cinderkit asked.

"No." Boltkit said firmly. Al the kits were huddled in Hollykit's nest. She had fallen asleep after her father left for the gathering.

"I hope Blazestrike will be okay." Night cried.

"She will be. So will all the other warriors. They will be fine, they are warriors. They train for these things, We'll be training too when we're apprentices." Sagekit reassured her sister.

"We need a plan. What if one of those cats gets through Blazestrike?" Bumblekit asked.

"I know. Do you remember the hole we dug in the dirt to sneak out, but Blazestrike covered it up again?" Boltkit asked.

"Yes. My father made it clear he didn't want us sneaking out." Nightkit scoffed.

"Well, it wouldn't be that hard to dig it up again. We could leave the nursery and hide in the forest so that way, if they break in we'll still be safe!" Boltkit purred.

"That could work!" Cinderkit exclaimed.

"But won't Foxstar and the other warriors be angry when they find we aren't where Blazestrike told us to stay? What if they make us wait to become apprentices?" Bumblekit mewed nervously.

"You always expect the worst, Bumblekit. Hurry! Let's start digging before they break through!" Brightkit exclaimed, racing over to the corner of the nursery.

"I don't like this, but I'll do it." Bumblekit sighed, digging his paws into the soil.

"I can see the moonlight!" Nightkit exclaimed, digging faster.

"Okay, Boltkit you go first." Brightkit said, nudging him towards the hole.

"Why me?" Boltkit scoffed.

"Because it was your idea." Cinderkit hissed.

"Fine, I'll go first." Boltkit sighed, squeezing through the hole. He waited until his brother joined him.

"I hope your plan works." Bumblekit sighed.

"It will." Boltkit insisted as Brightkit joined them. It didn't take long before Thistlekit, Redkit, Cinderkit and Sandkit were on the other side too. We waited for Nightkit and Sagekit to join us.

"Come on! Let's go!" Boltkit said, climbing the small hill. When he reached the top, he was relieved to see that the other kits followed him.

"Boltkit, where are we going?" Nightkit asked.

"We have to find our way to the gathering. If we show up there, and tell Foxstar what happened then him and the rest of the warriors will come back to the camp and outnumber all those cats!" Boltkit exclaimed.

"We don't even know the way _to _the gathering." Bumblekit scoffed.

"No, but I know the scent of my Clan mates." Boltkit scoffed.

"Come on, let's go!" Redkit exclaimed.

"Redkit is right, we don't have time!" Thistlekit hissed, racing forward. Boltkit bounded beside him, leafs bushing against his face as he raced through the forest.

"Look! There's the stream! Remember how Dustpaw and Fernpaw always told us to get to the island we have to cross a tree bridge that lies across the lake. All we have to do is follow this stream and we'll find the tree bridge!" Sagekit purred.

"Let's go then." Boltkit purred, taking the lead.

"There's the lake." Sandkit mewed.

"But I don't see a tree bridge!" Cinderkit hissed.

"I do!" Bumblekit purred.

"Where?" Thistlekit asked.

"Bumblekit, where do you see the tree bridge?" Nightkit asked.

"Over there!" Bumblekit said, flicking his tail towards the bridge.

"What's that awful smell?" Sagekit scoffed.

"I think that's one of the other Clans." Boltkit laughed.

"Let's just go!" Brightkit scoffed, racing across the scent line.

"What if I fall?" Bumblekit mewed nervously.

"You won't fall. I'll make sure you don't." Boltkit reassured his brother.

"Boltkit, you can go first since this was your idea too." Brightkit mewed.

"Fine." Boltkit hissed, leaping up onto the log. He looked back after taking a few paw steps to make sure the others had followed him. Brightkit bounded behind with Redkit close on her tail.

"We're almost there." Boltkit exclaimed as he reached the end of the log. He leaped onto the shore, he could feel the sand beneath his claws. He waited until the other kits landed beside him.

"See, I told you that you wouldn't fall in." Boltkit nudged his brother playfully.

"Whatever, lets just go get Foxstar." Bumblekit growled.

"Come on! We came to our first gathering." Boltkit grinned, almost forgetting what was happening at the camp.

"Quiet, I think the leaders are talking." Bumblekit scoffed, shoving Boltkit playfully.

" -is doing fine. The rivers are flowing with fish. We have three new apprentices who are here with us tonight. Troutpaw, Flowpaw and Wetpaw!" a white tom purred.

"Troutpaw! Flowpaw! Wetpaw!" the Clan cats chanted.

"This is better than I thought." Sagekit purred.

"Let's just try and find the ThunderClan cats." Bumblekit scoffed.

"You're a little small to be apprentices." a small tom frowned.

"I didn't think ThunderClan had so many apprentices." a small she-cat beside him scoffed.

"Didn't Fernpaw and Dustpaw say they were the only apprentices?" another small she-cat said.

"They are the only apprentices. We're only kits, we'll be apprentices soon though. I'm I'm Boltkit." Boltkit purred.

"I'm Swiftpaw and these are my sisters, Sedgepaw and Streampaw. We're WindClan apprentices. Why are you here? Why would ThunderClan bring kits to a gathering?" Swiftpaw frowned.

"Kits at a gathering?" some cats who overheard their conversation muttered.

"Foxstar, what is the meaning of this? Kits at a gathering? What was ThunderClan thinking!" the white tom on the rock growled.

"What? ThunderClan brought no kits!" Foxstar hissed. Boltkit felt a prick of embarrassment as cats moved to the side, allowing his father a clear view of him and the other kits.

"Boltkit, Bumblekit, Brightkit. Explain why you followed us here." Foxstar growled.

"Well," Boltkit started but Bumblekit covered his mouth with his tail.

"I'm sorry Foxstar, but I don't think you would want the other Clans to know." Bumblekit said, glaring at Boltkit.

"It's too late for that, Bumblekit. Tell us why you left the camp." Cloudwind hissed. _H__e's angry with us. I thought we were doing the right thing but he's angry. _Boltkit thought.

"The camp was attacked by a huge group of rogues." Boltkit blurted out before his brother could silence him.

"What?" Redstripe flared.

"Why did you leave the camp? The others will be worried when they see you are gone." Silverstreak growled.

"We left the camp because they tried to break into the nursery." Boltkit scoffed. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind to the senior warrior, his father was Clan leader.

"I am sorry for the interruption, but there is something I must deal with in our camp." Foxstar dipped his head politely before leaping from the high rock.

"Then I suppose this gathering is over!" the white tom called.

"Boltkit!" Cloudwind padded over to him.

"I'm guessing your here to tell me what my punishment is." Boltkit sighed.

"There will be time for that later. Boltkit, where is Hollykit? I thought all the kits left?" Cloudwind asked. Boltkit glanced back towards the kits. _Bumblekit, Brightkit, Redkit, Sandkit, Thistlekit, Cinderkit, Sagekit and Nightkit. No Hollykit. _

"I thought she was with us." Boltkit's eyes widened.

"She was sleeping when we left! We forgot to wake her!" Nightkit exclaimed.

"Cloudwind! Let's go. We'll carry the kits back to camp." Foxstar said, picking Boltkit up by his scruff.

"I would like a word with you in my den after, Boltkit." he mumbled through his fur.

"Foxstar, do you want me to lead a group of warriors ahead, to see if there is still a battle going on?" Cloudwind asked.

"Yes. Take Redstripe, Cedarleaf, Silverstreak, Leafstorm, Ashberry, Shadestripe, Tawnyheart, Tigerfrost, Grayfur, Rosepetal, Skystorm and Firebreeze." Foxstar told him. Cloudwind nodded and beckoned the cats he had mentioned with his tail.

"Let's not expect the worst." Whitebird muttered as the rest of the cats reached the camp. Boltkit gasped, the camp was full of wounded cats. Both ThunderClan and rogues. The battle was still raging. "

Take the kits to my den!" Foxstar ordered, handing Boltkit over to Redstripe. He placed him down in his father's nest.

"You kits did really well, coming to get us tonight. But I don't think your father is too thrilled. I'll try to convince him not to be so harsh, okay?" Redstripe purred before leaping into battle with the other cats.

"Do you think we'll be in trouble?" Redkit asked.

"Of course. We left the camp." Thistlekit scoffed.

"And disrupted a gathering." Sagekit added.

"It's all your fault, Boltkit." Cinderkit hissed.

"We did it because we had to, okay?" Brightkit growled.

"It wasn't Boltkit's fault. He wanted to help." Bumblekit scoffed, sticking up for his brother.

"And we did help. We brought back more warriors. They'll for sure win now." Boltkit told them.

"I hope you're right." Nightkit sighed. _I hope I'm right too. _

**Blazestrike's P.O.V**

"Breezefeather!" Blazestrike cried. He had forced off the two toms. He glanced over to see his mate, Breezefeather with a rogue pinning her down. He raced forward, knocking the tom off his paws.

"Blazestrike, I didn't need your help." Breezefeather told him.

"I just don't want anything to happen to you." Blazestrike purred, licking her ear.

"I know." she mewed.

"Great. They're back. I don't know how long we could have kept this going with so many wounds." Icestorm sighed in relief. Blazestrike could see the cats from the gathering had returned. By the looks in their eyes it looked like they knew a battle was happening in the camp. They all leaped eagerly into battle. Except Cloudwind, the ThunderClan deputy. He bolted towards the nursery. _Oh no! The kits! I left to help Breezefeather and I forgot about them! _Blazestrike bounded over to the nursery. There was a rogue inside. He didn't have time to run off because Cloudwind had him pinned down in moments. The rogue had thrown aside a scrap of white fur. Blazestrike padded over to it and gasped. _Hollykit. _She lay in an awkward position, her eyes closed. Her heart had stopped beating.

"Cloudwind, I'm sorry. She is with Starsong, Mosspaw and Spiderpaw now. I know they will take care of her." Blazestrike dipped his head. Blazestrike could see the hurt in his eyes. His only kit, gone because of Blazestrike's mistake. He frowned, glancing around the nursery frantically. _Why is only Hollykit here? Where is Boltkit, Bumblekit and Brightkit? What about Thistlekit, Sandkit, Redkit and Cinderkit? Where are my daughters, Nightkit and Sagekit? Where are the other kits? _Blazestrike glanced back at the ThunderClan deputy to see he was dragging the limp body of the rogue out of the nursery. _He killed him. He killed that rogue. _Blazestrike dismissed it from his head. _That rogue deserved it. He killed Cloudwind's only kit. _

"We did it! If it weren't for the warriors from the gathering showing up then I don't know what we would have done." Heatherstripe purred, padding into the nursery. She had scratches along her stomach and flank.

"Where are the kits?" Icestorm exclaimed, glancing around nervously.

"Blazestrike, where are they?" Breezefeather asked. I could tell by the looks in her eyes that she was afraid.

"I-I don't know. They weren't here when I came in." Blazestrike shook his head sadly.

"The other kits are fine." Cloudwind muttered.

"Cloudwind? How do you know?" Blazestrike asked.

"Because they came to the gathering. They warned us what was happening back at the camp, that's why we came back early. They are safe in Foxstar's den." he told us.

"Cloudwind what's wrong?" Icestorm asked. He remained silent, padding over to the limp body of his daughter.

"Hollykit." Heatherstripe gasped.

"I'm glad I came back when I did. I don't know what I would do if I came back to camp knowing I didn't help with that battle." Sunnysky purred, padding into the nursery. _She doesn't know about Hollykit yet. _

"Sunnysky, I'm sorry." Icestorm sighed, touching her tail to Sunnysky's shoulder.

"Sorry for what?" Sunnysky narrowed her eyes.

"I'm sorry Sunnysky, a rogue got into the nursery." Blazestrike told her. Cloudwind moved aside to let Sunnysky see the limp body of their daughter.


	4. n

**Nightkit's P.O.V**

"Tonight, we have suffered a great loss. Rowanfur, Smoketail, Owlwhisker and Hollykit now join our warrior ancestors in StarClan." Foxstar sighed.

"I feel like this is my fault." Boltkit muttered.

"What's your fault?" Sagekit asked.

"Why Hollykit isn't with us." Boltkit hissed.

"It isn't your fault." Nightkit said, touching her tail to Boltkit's shoulder gently.

"It is! I was the one who forgot to wake her up!" Boltkit exclaimed.

"No, you weren't. Don't even think that. We _all _forgot that Hollykit was asleep. Don't blame yourself." Bumblekit mewed.

"There are nine cats who we have to thank. If it hadn't been for these cats, we wouldn't have come back from the gathering so early. Boltkit, Brightkit, Bumblekit, Thistlekit, Sandkit, Cinderkit, Redkit, Sagekit and Nightkit disrupted the gathering, to warn the rest of us what had happened back at the camp, if they hadn't dug a hole in the nursery wall and came to the island, StarClan knows how many more cats we would have lost. However, they will still be punished for leaving the camp." Foxstar mewed.

"What? That's not fair! We had to leave the nursery!" Boltkit protested.

"Boltkit," Nightkit warned.

"Foxstar, you said so yourself. If we had never left the nursery to find you at the gathering, then we could have lost more warriors. We couldn't stay there, It wasn't safe in the nursery." Boltkit hissed, ignoring Nightkit's warning.

"Are you saying that my father wasn't capable of guarding the nursery? That Blazestrike couldn't protect us?" Nightkit's pelt bristled in anger.

"That is exactly what I said." Boltkit snapped back, turning towards the small black she-kit.

"Our father fought his hardest to keep us safe." Sagekit spat, stepping next to her sister.

"If was doing such a good job then where is Hollykit now?" Boltkit spat back at her. Nightkit gasped, she felt as if he had just clawed at her. _He's right. My father couldn't stop that tom from getting into the nursery and killing Hollykit. _

"Boltkit! How could you say something like that?" Icestorm exclaimed.

"Nightkit, Sagekit, I'm sorry. I-I wasn't thinking." he apologised.

"No. You weren't." Nightkit shook her head angrily before she turned away from him. She padded away from the group of cats.

"Nightkit!" Sagekit called after her.

"Let her go, Sagekit. She needs time to cool off." Nightkit heard her mother say. Nightkit glanced around, somehow she had ended up in the nursery. She spotted the hole in the back of the nursery, if hadn't been covered up yet. She squeezed through and raced into the forest. _I won't go too far, I just don't want to be in the camp right now. _

Nightkit could feel the wind ruffling through her black pelt, she felt carefree. She knew she had to return to the camp soon, but she wanted to stay in the forest longer. She was still angry at Boltkit for what he had said about her father. _Why did he say such an awful thing? I don't say things like that about his father. _Nightkit thought bitterly. _Then again, his father is my Clan leader. _

Nightkit had reached the place where Bumblekit had spotted the log the night before. It was easier to see the log in the day. _I'll go to the island, to think for a little bit. Then I'll go back to the camp. _Nightkit padded to the water's edge, she could feel the cold water around her paws. It was almost soothing. She padded slowly, her paws in the water, over to the log. When she reached it, she leaped, her front paws landing on the top of the log. She had to pull herself up. She sat to catch her breath, before slowly and carefully walking to the island.

"Hey! What are you doing on our territory?" a she-cat voice spat. Nightkit turned to see a black-and-white she-cat. She turned to face her, but her paws slipped beneath her. She hit head hard on the log before tumbling into the water below. She gasped for breath, filling her lungs with the cold water. The last thing she saw was the outline of the she-cat before the sunlight faded and everything was black.

**Blazestrike's P.O.V**

"Blazestrike!" he turned to see his mate, Breezefeather.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" he asked her.

"Yes! Nightkit isn't in the nursery." she cried.

"Are you sure?" Blazestrike's eyes widened.

"Of course I am! I just came from there. I think she crawled out of the hole, it hasn't been covered up yet. I found a tuft of her fur caught on one of the small roots. Blazestrike, she could be out in the forest somewhere, all by herself." Breezefeather said wearily.

"Have you told Foxstar?" he asked.

"Yes." she replied, just the ThunderClan leader was padding out of his den.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here for a Clan meeting!" Foxstar called.

"Another Clan meeting?" Tawnyheart scoffed. _She's just grumpy, like always. _The warrior hadn't been the same since the fire that took away her brother's life. Blazestrike had lost two of his brothers, Thislepaw and Redfire as well.

"Nightkit is missing." Foxstar mewed.

"Missing?" Mousepool frowned.

"Where could she have done?" Ashberry asked.

"We have to find her!" Doveflight mewed

"We can't leave her in the forest on her own!" Shadestripe added.

"What if a fox gets to her?" Fernpaw mewed nervously.

"She couldn't defend herself if a fox attacks." Her brother, Dustpaw agreed.

"Foxstar, if you don't mind I would like to lead a patrol to find her." Blazestrike mewed.

"Yes, Blazestrike you can lead the patrol. Take Brackenpelt, Blossomstem, Shadestripe, Ashberry and Fernpaw." Foxstar said. Blazestrike nodded to the cats who Foxstar had named and padded to the entrance of the camp. _Nightkit, wherever you are, I will find you. _


	5. s

**Okay, so this one is really short but I had major writers block and I'm super busy not that has started up. I'll try to update when I can though. I'm going to switch from third person P.O.V to first person because it is easier. Enjoy and review what you think! You know I'm always happy to hear what you guys think about my stories. **

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**Blazestrike's P.O.V**

I tasted the air, my eyes widening when I picked up my daughter's scent. I closed my eyes, picturing her racing through the forest.

"Her scent isn't very fresh. She must have been here earlier this morning." Ashberry told me.

"We still have to find her. Shadestripe, you said so yourself that we can't leave Nightkit out here on her own." I mewed. The whole patrol nodded in agreement.

"We _will _find her, Blazestrike." Blossomstem purred.

"I hope so." I sighed.

"She can't be too far." Fernpaw mewed. I heard a crack of thunder and I glanced up at the sky. Small droplets of water began falling down from the cloudy, gray sky.

"It's starting to rain." Blossomstem said dreadfully. "We are going to lose Nightkit's scent."

"No! I won't lose her!" I growled, dashing off where her scent lead. I could hear the rumbling of paws steps and I knew that my patrol was following me. I started to slow down as I reached the WindClan border. He stopped and waited for the patrol to catch up to him.

"Her scent is faint, but it goes into WindClan territory. I'm welcomed there, but I will not risk the rest of the patrol. Wait here and look around to see if her scent comes back across the border." I ordered, racing across the WindClan border. I frowned when her scent went in the direction of the island. _What if this is Nightkit's scent from last night, when the kits went to the gathering? _I thought nervously. _No. I would scent the other kits too. Nightkit was alone when she came by this way. This is the right scent. _I followed her scent all the way to the log that ThunderClan used for the gatherings. I leaped up and I felt like someone had clawed out my insides. I carefully approached a stub on the log and sniffed it. I closed my eyes tightly, willing it to be wrong. _No, this isn't what I think it. _But I already know that I'm wrong. I grab the small tuft of black fur and pull it closer. I don't want to believe it, but the evidence is right in front of me. I glanced down at the water, and see nothing. Even though it is daytime, I can't see the bottom of the lake. I shudder as I let the realization of what had happened sink in. Nightkit had fallen into the water. She doesn't know how to swim, she isn't a RiverClan cat. _Her body must still be down there. I wish there was a way I could get it, so we could mourn for her. _I thought sadly. _Why does this always happen to me? First Thistlepaw and Redfire, then Sandpaw, and now my own daughter. Is StarClan punishing me for killing Wolfstar? _

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**So what do you think?**


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